False Start
by BadgerWolf
Summary: UPDATE: Temporarily on hiatus. Bonnie Flint is among many monsters who suddenly find themselves out of a job when MI's doors are closed. She begins life anew living out her childhood dream... as a CDA agent. All seems well at first, but things don't quite go according to plan when she finds herself in a foreign country in the midst of a civil war. Rated M for mild gory scenes.
1. Prologue

**Disclaimer:** **Monsters, Inc. and all characters herein belong to Walt Disney Pictures and Pixar Animation Studios unless otherwise stated.**

**Agent 127 and Gerald belong to me. Although they won't be playing a particularly big part. So... yeah. ^_^**

**A/N: Hey guys! Welcome to the new and improved version of False Start. I've rewritten the currently uploaded chapters and beefed up the plot, so hopefully it should prove to be a more enjoyable read. You probably won't notice a lot of difference at first, since the bigger changes will happen later on. And most of all, as always, I hope you enjoy! :)**

* * *

'Operations Assistant… Junior Manager… Hmm, Business Consultant, this could be worthwhile… Wait, for a fast food chain? Pass."

Bonnie sighed in exasperation and threw the newspaper aside, fed up with browsing the job section. She'd spent the past hour having done so to no avail, there was nothing even close to the job she had before. Granted, simulation moderation wasn't what she was looking for, but that wasn't all she was employed to do at Monsters, Inc., having also taken over a lot of the business administration over the years.

And therein lay the problem. This wasn't a choice. Bonnie hadn't _chosen_ to switch jobs. That would have been simpler and held much less pressure from a time scale. No, she had lost her job along with every other monster under the employ of the factory. One of the biggest scandals Monstropolis had ever known ensured that MI's doors would most likely be closed for good.

Bonnie had spent a good amount of time cursing Waternoose blind. She'd never particularly liked the guy, his way of looking down his nose at monsters he didn't consider 'worthy' of his attention irking her to no end, but she'd never pegged him as a criminal, and to such a high end too. The news came as a shock to everyone the nation over, but that didn't matter to Bonnie. What mattered was the fact she was now unemployed. She took too much pride in herself to claim a single cent through any form of unemployment compensation so the pressure of finding a job fast was working her to her last nerve.

It didn't help that she was looking for a fresh start, not even considering working for another Scaring company. She'd grown weary of her job, finding it had quickly become stagnant and allowed her no freedom to grow either professionally or personally. She didn't want another job of the 'same old, same old', but avoiding a job like that was easier said than done.

Moving to the kitchen to fetch another cup of coffee she considered the idea that the internet could help her search much faster. She didn't particularly like the idea, having heard many horror stories of supposed 'ideal' jobs which quickly turned out to be nightmares, but she was fast running out of options.

Once her coffee was poured she made her way back to the living room, sitting herself down on the couch to watch a little TV. She figured spending ten minutes winding down wouldn't harm her chances and she _really_ needed her coffee. The TV showed much the same as every other station, another rerun of the same story. Apparently, conspiracy to kidnap really was that big a deal, especially since it involved humans. As the story came to an end Bonnie was about to flick the channel over, but a commercial prevented her from doing so.

"The Child Detection Agency is arguably one of the most important public services throughout the Monster World," the commercial announced. "Ensuring the safety of monsters everywhere from the risk of human toxicity, a career in the CDA is an opportunity of a lifetime…" Bonnie had to laugh at the last statement; with the news of humans not being toxic becoming public knowledge along with the scandal it would no doubt be removed sometime soon. "If you think you have what it takes, the CDA is recruiting now. Travel the world. Do good. All in one place."

As the commercial finished Bonnie switched the TV off. Slowly, an unknown feeling came over her, one of excitement and slight nostalgia. She remembered joining the CDA had been her childhood dream, but she was quickly swayed away from that path by her very pushy business-oriented parents. She'd gained a degree in Business Administration, much to her regret, knowing all too well that majors in Monstrosities, Monster Education or even Scaring were preferred to any other by the agency. She would have little chance of gaining a position, so to think otherwise would be silly, which was very much unlike her.

But Bonnie then realised what she was doing. She was debunking the idea before even giving it proper consideration. She also then remembered something else, something that _could_ even give her an edge. She just so happened to know the number one of the CDA personally. Someone who had been working in the same place as her, right under everyone's nose, for a whole two years. Roz.

For the first time in a week Bonnie allowed herself a smile. This could actually work. She would get the fresh start she wanted and live out her childhood dream all at once.

Bonnie Flint, CDA Agent. She liked the sound of that.


	2. Chapter 1: New Beginnings

"Well, well, well, what do we have here?"

Bonnie smiled nervously as she sat on the opposite side of a seemingly over-sized desk. Her eyes didn't linger too long on the monster behind it, instead giving the room a once-over. The office was littered with monitors that lined almost every inch of the walls, save for the large window that overlooked the operations department below.

Despite having known her for two years Bonnie couldn't help feel slightly intimidated by Roz. Seeing her settled in her own environment, one Bonnie herself wasn't comfortable in, only accentuated her higher status and sense of authority.

Roz finished looking through the application in her hands and set it on her desk, her eyes fixing themselves on Bonnie.

"I'll admit, I was surprised when I saw a letter of application cross my desk with your name on it. So, why the career change?" Roz asked bluntly in her usual drawling tone.

"W-Well," Bonnie started. "I want a new career which will help me grow as a person, as well as increasing the bank of skills I have under my belt. I feel the Child Detection Agency would be perfect for that, especially since they provide such an important service to-"

"Drop the act," Roz cut in.

"E-Excuse me?" she gasped, not sure what to make of the statement.

"You don't need to impress anyone here and you don't need to try and flatter me or the agency. So drop the fancy wording and I'll ask again. Why do you want to work for the CDA?"

Bonnie stared for a moment, her mouth agape, still shocked at the request. However, upon noticing Roz becoming slightly impatient she did her best to regain her composure, taking a deep breath to calm herself. She should have known better, having first-hand experience of Roz's no nonsense attitude. "OK. The reason I want to join the CDA is because it's been a life-long dream of mine. I do genuinely want to help people, but I feel that it will be just as exciting as it is important, and I want a job that can keep me fulfilled. I think the CDA is the right place for just that." Without thinking she also added a small footnote to that. "Better than MI anyway…" she muttered bitterly under her breath, quickly covering her mouth as though she'd said something vile.

Although it wasn't clear, something akin to a smile showed itself on Roz's face at the last statement. "Very good," she said before slithering over to a filing cabinet. She opened the top drawer, pulling out what seemed to be a packet of fliers and forms. She handed this to Bonnie. "You will be joining an academy of sorts, one in which you'll receive all the necessary training to become a CDA agent. Consider that," she said, gesturing to the packet, "your orientation packet. Inside you will find the list of courses and exams you are expected to undertake, the training you are expected to qualify for, and the timescale you should be aiming to do it in. Training usually lasts a year, but I have seen some agents finish faster." She gave Bonnie a small smirk. "I expect you to be among that number."

Bonnie gave her a small smile, not particularly confident she would be, before pulling out some of the packet's contents. She then looked back up to Roz with a quizzical look. "It says here that I need to complete firearms training."

"That is correct."

"But I didn't know agents carried firearms. Is it really necessary?"

Roz continued to gaze at Bonnie expressionless. "It is necessary," she said simply.

Something about the way Roz said it gave Bonnie a slight shudder, and she felt no reason to ask any more about it.

"Any further questions should be directed to one of your instructors from here on out," Roz continued. "You will find them waiting at the entrance along with the other new recruits. Good luck."

"Thank you," Bonnie said, standing from her seat and quickly making her way to the door. As she stepped through she took one last look at Roz who now had her back to the door, looking out the window upon the department below. She couldn't help but marvel slightly at how much more authoritative she now seemed.

Not wanting to linger, she closed the door behind her and made her way downstairs.

* * *

Bonnie was surprised to discover what awaited her at the entrance. Three agents, all in full uniform, were standing amongst a group of other monsters, presumably the new recruits. One of the agents motioned Bonnie over once she was in sight and she quickly complied, joining the group.

"Good morning everyone," one of the agents said. "I am going to be one of your new instructors at the academy. You may call me Agent One-twenty-seven." He gestured at the section of his suit on his chest that displayed the very same number. Not much could be made out about the monster due to the hazard suit other than the fact that he was male and had one head, two arms and two legs. "Very soon you will learn that names are not important in this agency, actions are. You will not be judged by who you are, but rather you will be judged by what you do, and what you are capable of. Any questions so far?"

One of the recruits raised a hand, giving the agent cause to point at them, signalling for the question to be asked. "Do all of you always wear your suits?"

"Yes," he answered bluntly, showing no signs of offering an explanation. "Any more questions?" No-one raised a hand this time. "Good, then without further ado we'll now make our way to where you'll be staying for the next couple of years."

This was the part Bonnie was most excited about; seeing where she was going to be living from now on. She only had with her the bare essentials, not affording herself any luxuries save for a few books, and she knew it would be a far cry from her apartment. But this was essentially the final step for her before she truly felt like she was part of the agency and she couldn't wait.

The group all made their way to a bus that had been parked up just a small distance away. One of the instructors directed the recruits to load up their small amount of luggage in one of the bus' compartments before making their way on board. They all easily found a seat, their small group having more than enough room.

"OK, final roll call," Agent 127 said. He began to reel off a list of names, all of which gained him an answer from one of the recruits present. "And finally, Bonnie Flint."

"Here," she called out in similar fashion to everyone before her.

"Very good, looks like we're all set."

He gave a signal to the driver and in no time the bus lurched to a start, taking them all to their destination. Bonnie looked out the window and watched as the streets sailed past. Many of the other monsters were talking amongst themselves but she was more than happy to remain silent, imagining what their training would be like. That was until she happened to overhear a hushed conversation between two monsters in front of her.

"Hey, did you see that old chick? Flint I think her name was," one monster said.

"Yeah, why d'ya think she's here? Isn't she a bit too old to be joining now?" the other replied.

The two shared a small laugh at this, a laugh Bonnie did not feel like sharing. It was true she was older than the rest of the recruits, perhaps by quite a large margin, but she in no way considered herself too old to be doing what she was setting out to do. She didn't feel the need to point this out though, it wasn't worth her time. She would show it instead, becoming even more determined to pass her training and to do it quickly too, as Roz had mentioned.

Doing her best to brush off the rude remarks, Bonnie once again settled her gaze outside the window. It suddenly hit her just how quickly everything had happened. It had only been five days since she saw the advert on the TV. She'd sent off an application the very next day, and it only took a further three to hear back from them. The response had been favourable, far more than expected judging by the praise she'd received from the agent on the phone. Her interview, if she could call it that for how brief and casual it was, had been scheduled with Roz for the very next day, and she was told to prepare to enrol for training.

Rather than giving up her apartment, Bonnie had given the key to her mother and asked her to look after it whilst she was training. Bonnie liked the apartment far too much to let it go, even if it meant paying for something she wouldn't be using for a while.

The journey turned out to be shorter than expected, only lasting around fifteen minutes. As soon as the bus stopped the agents made their way off, the recruits following suit. Once happy the bus was vacated of all the recruits and they had all retrieved their luggage, Agent 127 again spoke up.

"Here we are," he announced, gesturing. "Welcome to the academy."

A collective gasp of awe came from the group of recruits as the agents led them in. The structure was massive, larger than even Bonnie could have imagined, and it only seemed bigger once inside. Looking around it was clear how diverse their training would be. There were labs, offices and even what could best be described as classrooms, though somehow they didn't have the traditional educational feel to them. The halls seemed to stretch on much further than even those at Monsters, Inc. had, giving reason for Bonnie to marvel even more at the sheer size of the academy. That was until something else caught her eye, something she decided she was not looking forward to having to use.

The sound of gunshots could be heard, and there were various monsters there firing at targets. Bonnie could only sneak a quick glance through the door in passing, though she wished she hadn't. She knew she would have to complete firearms training too, but until that time came she preferred not to think about it.

Finally, after a near twenty minute trek they arrived at what appeared to be their destination. What was beyond the door couldn't be seen, but Bonnie could take a good guess at what it was.

"And here we are at the barracks," Agent 127 said as he turned to face the group once again. "This is where you'll be staying from here on out. Typically this will last a year, but depending on individual aptitude your stay may be longer or shorter. Do not be disheartened if you find yourself staying here longer than most," he was quick to reassure. "Some of our best agents were once in that position. Now, from here you have the rest of the day to yourselves. I trust you all received your packs?" he asked, to which every one of the recruits murmured their agreement. "Good. There is a map included where you will find anywhere you may need to go. The top one I imagine will be on your minds is the cafeteria. Thankfully it is not very far from here and is easy to find. Lunch usually starts at one o'clock sharp, do not arrive too late or you may turn up to find there is no food left. There are some _very_ hungry monsters here."

This earned a chuckle from the group, and even the other two agents.

"Your allotted room numbers should also have been included in your packs, so you should have no problems settling in. And with that we shall take our leave. Enjoy your day and we will see you bright and early tomorrow morning."

Bonnie quickly flicked through her pack, not having known this last piece of information, though judging by the other noises of papers being flicked through she hadn't been the only one.

'Ah, here it is,' she thought to herself. 'Room seventeen.'

Most of the recruits had already made their way in and Bonnie did the same, easily finding her room. The door was unlocked so she quickly made her way in, but what awaited her had shocked her. The room was much larger than she'd figured it would be, and very well furnished. There was a wardrobe, desk, shelves and a single, solitary bed. This last point of interest shocked her even more. Despite the size of the academy, Bonnie had expected to be sharing a room with at least one other monster, if not several or even every female of the group.

"Well, _this_ will certainly be more bearable," she said to herself as she placed her bag onto her bed. She made short work of unpacking, having not packed much as she was advised, and storing the bag itself neatly at the bottom of the wardrobe.

There was a small bedside table as well, upon which laid a set of keys, presumably her room keys. With time to spare before lunch she decided to look through her pack in detail. There were a lot of things in there that didn't particularly take her interest; a copy of her contract, some health and safety guidelines, promotional material. What did take her interest, however, was her class list. It seemed all of the CDA's training was referred to as classes which she didn't mind; a lot of it was educational after all.

But again, her interest was quickly thrown off. Her week seemed as though it would start well, but the last 'class' of her Fridays would be spent in firearms training. She hadn't expected it so soon and she actually felt slightly nervous. She had honestly never seen a CDA agent wielding a weapon of any sort, so the thought of being trained to do just that had never crossed her mind until she first received the pack. And to now see how quickly she would be thrown into it was even less appealing.

She didn't dwell on it too long, there were other 'classes' to look forward to after all, most of which seemed like they'd be a cinch. Although Bonnie had hardly worked with Scarers directly at MI, having worked in a Scaring company in any capacity was sure to prove beneficial.

No, she didn't see the need to worry at all about any other training that would be thrown her way. Just one gave her cause to be concerned. She quickly shook it off, however.

'I'm probably just making it out to be worse than it really is,' she thought to herself. 'After all, it's unlikely I'll ever have to _use_ the training.'

Bonnie set the pack atop the table and, noting it to be about time to head to lunch, left her room, locking the door behind her with her map in hand. True to the agent's word the cafeteria really wasn't hard to find. It was fairly large, able to fit around a hundred monsters by Bonnie's best guess, and was far from full.

The food was decent, not the best she'd tasted but it would certainly suffice. She was able to sit away from the other recruits, most of which had already seemed to form small groups amongst themselves. That didn't bother her, however. She wasn't here to socialise, she was here to learn and set a new career path for herself. Besides, she had her own small selection of friends already; she had no interest in making more.

"All by yourself I see."

Bonnie turned around to see an agent standing next to where she was sat, one who was different from the others who they had journeyed here with. Or so she thought, at least. It was difficult to tell.

"Yes," Bonnie replied.

"Not interested in socialising with the others?"

"Not particularly."

"Mind if I join you?"

Bonnie did her best not to grimace, not overly enamoured by the idea. "By all means," she said, deciding it best not to be rude to someone who was essentially her superior.

The agent took a seat next to her and set his tray down on the table. He then removed his mask to reveal a green-furred face with four eyes set upon it. He flashed a small smile but said no more, instead opting to tuck into his food. Bonnie initially did the same, but she felt compelled to ask a question she'd wanted to ask for a while now.

"So will we really be expected to wear those suits all the time?"

The agent offered a chuckle before turning back to her. "Yeah, regulation states we wear the suits at all times during working hours, mask included. Outside of that you're free, though. Oh, and to eat, of course. So there is that at least."

Bonnie nodded. "Doesn't it get irritating? Not to mention hot?"

"It can do, but you quickly get used to it."

Bonnie nodded again, not particularly keen to keep a conversation going now that her question had been answered. After a while though, the agent spoke up again.

"So why aren't you over there?" he asked, gesturing to the other side of the cafeteria where all of the other recruits were eating.

"I don't really have much interest in socialising," she said bluntly. "Besides, as much as I hate to admit it, I really don't see myself having anything in common with them, what with the age gap."

"Age gap? It surely can't be that large, can it?"

Bonnie raised a brow to the question. "I don't think I'll be answering that, thank you very much."

The agent laughed again. "Well you sure don't look it, for what it's worth."

Bonnie hummed non-committedly in response, taking it as neither a compliment nor an insult.

The rest of the meal progressed in silence, with the agent finishing first.

"Well, I'd better head off. It was good meeting you, Miss..?"

"Flint. Though I'm sure I'll only be known as a number soon enough."

"Ohh, you got the whole 'names are not important, actions are' speech, huh? I wouldn't pay too much attention to that crap, 127 doesn't really have much of a social life. We're not all just faceless numbers. We do get to know each other outside of work."

"I'll keep that in mind."

The agent lingered for a moment before stepping away from the table, preparing to leave.

"Well, thanks for the company. The name's Gerald, by the way," he said, holding a hand out.

Bonnie looked at the hand for a moment before giving it a shake. "Bonnie," she said simply.

"Nice to meet you Bonnie. And good luck with the training, I'm sure you'll do great."

"Thank you."

"Not a problem."

The agent then replaced his mask, disposed of his tray and left. Despite not outwardly showing any expression, Bonnie was slightly relieved to know that she would at least be able to keep some inkling of her identity and not just be regarded as a number. She would have liked to have thought she knew Agent 127 was simply being dramatic, but with the way the CDA are often regarded from outside the agency, it didn't seem too unrealistic.

Once finished with lunch Bonnie returned to her room. With nothing left to do she fetched one of the few books she had placed on her shelf when she had unpacked. She spent the rest of the day reading before retiring for the night.

Settling down, Bonnie became excited to see what tomorrow would bring. She already had a good idea of what she'd be learning, if in fact there would be anything new to learn that she didn't already know, but still the fact that it was to be her first day at the academy was thrilling.

This was it, the beginning of the new journey in Bonnie's life that she'd only dreamed of until now. And she couldn't wait to get started.


	3. Chapter 2: Training Underway

Out of bed by 6am. Breakfast by 6:30am. In first class by 7am. Lunch at 1pm. Second class, 2pm. Dinner, 6pm. Read a book, bed by 10pm only to do it all again.

Eat. Study. Eat. Study. Eat. Read. Sleep. Repeat. That was Bonnie's routine for the next few months, one she followed strictly. It included weekends too, though she was less bothered by that fact than she'd initially expected to be. Far from it, in fact. She was so keen to learn and train, any need for down time beyond the short amount she afforded herself for casual reading was soon forgotten.

Looking back, she could hardly believe it. A mere three months ago she had first joined the CDA yet she was already over halfway through her training. It seemed such a long time ago, yet in other ways it almost seemed like yesterday.

Bonnie quickly gained a reputation amongst the other ranks, both recruits and fully fledged agents alike. Her focus and determination became the hot topic of discussion throughout the academy, though it wasn't always shed in a positive light.

Most of the other recruits were more than happy to openly express their bitterness towards her and her attitude. 'Cold-hearted', 'pompous', even 'bitch', Bonnie had heard every one of the names she'd been called and knew exactly who was calling her them. But she didn't care. If the other recruits didn't like the fact that she didn't deem them worth her time then so be it. From day one she had settled that socialising was not a priority of hers in the slightest bit. Getting through the training, becoming an agent and aiming for the best first field mission she could were her only goals.

There was one other fact about Bonnie that seemed to be eagerly discussed. One which surprised everyone, herself included. It seemed that not only was she adept at the theoretical side of the training; she was also very good at handling a weapon.

The first time she had held a gun, her first instinct was to put it down and calmly make her way back out of the firing range. It was a strong urge, but having learned all about the necessity of such training in excruciating detail she managed to resist it and did exactly as her instructor had told her. With both goggles and earmuffs in place, she stood at the bank, took aim at the designated target and fired. She fired again, and again, until the clip was empty. The target was brought forward by the overhead mechanised rail and both Bonnie and the instructor looked upon the target to see how well she'd done.

She failed. Miserably. The one and only shot that actually hit the sheet had still completely missed the target. The instructor made it abundantly clear that he expected Bonnie's training to last considerably longer than most recruits in order to compensate for what he dubbed 'the worst hand-eye co-ordination ever seen in this academy'.

Agent 127 had expressed his concern about this to Bonnie shortly after, to which Bonnie coolly informed him exactly how she felt about handling a firearm. It simply made her feel uncomfortable that she was essentially being trained to kill another monster. The agent tried his best to reassure her that it was only a precautionary measure, only to be used should someone else's life, hers included, be put in danger. It didn't work; Bonnie had heard everything she needed to know about why she was essentially being trained to kill. She knew the benefits, but she still didn't like it.

However, her skill did improve considerably the weeks following that. Upon her second attempt half of her shots hit the target in key areas, the chest and head, and on her third attempt every shot did so. After just a short six training sessions she was perfectly able to hit the target square in the head from any distance within the range's boundaries, stationary or otherwise.

She was soon trained to handle more than a simple handgun, moving on to rifles. Again, she was able to quickly master this, even with the extra distance provided by the outdoor firing range. She still hated handling a weapon, but she did grow used to the fact that she could effectively use one. She only hoped it wouldn't have to be put to the test.

Her theoretical studies went similarly well. As Bonnie had suspected she didn't learn much at all in her first classes, and instead opted to take the tests early, all of which she passed with perfect scores. It was then she began learning more about the inner workings of scare factories in many different regions and countries, some of which surprised her, and also about the exact procedures of how to deal with a potential human outbreak.

Of course, it was now known such an occurrence would pose no threat to monsters physically, but such a thing still had to be avoided all the same due to the risk of the discovery of their world and the possible repercussions of that. There were also some countries which as of yet didn't subscribe to the idea that humans weren't a threat to monsters. Arrogance, ignorance, it was speculated to be down to many different factors, but Bonnie supposed those country's governments had their reasons.

But aside from all that, Bonnie's life had been perfectly uneventful. No recruit would even try approaching her now and no agent had approached her outside of business since Gerald had three months prior.

Her mother would call every now and then to ask how things were going and to also remind her how proud she was despite the change in career, which actually meant a lot to Bonnie. Her father was similarly pleased, but would speak to Bonnie less often. And her friends spoke to her less often still, though it didn't bother her too much. She knew she would be able to catch up with everyone properly soon enough.

More than anything Bonnie simply wanted to complete her training and begin her job as soon as possible. She knew at this point Roz had been right, that it certainly wouldn't be taking her the whole year to complete her training, but still the end couldn't come soon enough. She was itching to leave the academy and get back into the outside world. She also hoped she would be able to work abroad, though the chances of that happening on her first assignment were slim. Still, the possibility existed and it provided its own thrill.

Bonnie closed the book she currently held in her hands. It was the last of the books she had brought with her and she'd now finished it. She sighed as she placed it back upon the shelf along with the others, cursing herself for not having the forethought to bring more. After all, she knew she was already becoming slightly stir crazy, so adding total boredom to that wasn't the best situation to be in. There were only so many times she could read her study books from cover to cover.

She dropped herself on her bed and looked over to the clock. It read 7:24pm, over two and a half hours before the time she would usually retire for the night. And of course, she didn't feel the least bit tired. She began silently wondering what she would do to entertain herself for the rest of her time at the academy when a rap at the door broke her attention away from her thoughts. She stood from her bed and slowly made her way to the door, wondering who in Monstropolis it could be. After all, no-one took any interest in her on a personal level and there was nothing to speak about professionally that she could think of.

As she opened the door she was surprised to find a familiar agent standing outside, sans his usual uniform.

"Hi. Gerald, right?" she said casually.

"That's right," he smiled.

"What can I do for you?"

"I'd like you to come with me to the gymnasium."

Bonnie crossed her arms firmly and gave him a questioning, almost daring gaze. "Might I ask why?"

"Yes, you may," he smirked. "So, shall we go?"

With that he turned his back and began to walk away, although his pace seemed to be exaggeratedly slow as though waiting for Bonnie to follow.

Rolling her eyes, Bonnie closed her door and caught up to Gerald, following by his side.

"So..?" Bonnie said.

"So… what?" Gerald replied, still smirking.

"So why are you leading me to the gym?"

"Excellent question! Have you been trained in hand-to-hand combat yet?"

"No, I haven't…"

"Then I think it's about time you were."

They soon reached the gym and, at the far side, there already seemed to be an area set up with floor mats laid out.

"So you're going to be the one training me I take it?" Bonnie inquired.

"Yes. I'm not exactly an instructor, but I've been given special permission in this case."

"Special permission, huh?"

Gerald nodded. "Seems the higher-ups have taken a keen interest in you. Word is getting around that you might actually break the record for completing training the fastest."

"I didn't realise there was a record," she said dryly. "And I don't honestly see the point, either."

Gerald chuckled. "Well, that's a shame. You _are_ in for a good shot of beating it."

"Right. So are we here to talk or are we here to train?"

"Heh, fair enough. OK, let's get to training. Now, have you had any experience in combat?"

Bonnie shook her head. "Not unless you count the odd heated fight at a nightclub. The last of those was a good few years ago, though."

"Not to worry, that's what I'm here for. Now, if you've ever seen a martial art being practiced you may recognise some of what you'll learn. Our training borrows a little from several different fighting styles and has been honed for many years to-"

"It's impressive, I get it," Bonnie cut in. "Now can we get down to it?"

"Not the first time I've heard that from a lady," he chuckled. The silence that followed, along with the glare he was given, told him the little joke was a bad idea. "Oh c'mon, that wasn't even a little funny?"

"Not even remotely. Now can we please just start the training?"

Gerald cleared his throat. "Very well. I'd advise you to limber up first, however."

Bonnie followed Gerald's instruction with a few stretches and warm-up exercises, though they were basic enough for her to have done on her own. Once suitably warmed up Gerald stood opposite Bonnie.

"Now, I'd advise you to take a loose fighting stance, somewhat like this." He placed one foot a small distance in front of the other and raised his fists in a guarding position. "For you, however, you may want to position your tail in such a way that it can be used for support should it be needed, but without taking away from your manoeuvrability. You should be able to fall back on it, but also be able to move backwards."

Bonnie nodded and took a stance she felt would fit both requirements, raising her guard as well.

"Excellent," Gerald said, nodding his approval. "Now, I'll guide you through a few basic punches and we'll see how it goes from there."

* * *

An hour into the training Bonnie and Gerald were exchanging blows at a fairly decent pace. They took turns with one striking and one blocking and Bonnie seemed to be doing well.

"Very good," Gerald said, complimenting one certain strike in particular. "But you may have wanted to follow through with a well-aimed punch to the midsection."

"I'll bear that in mind," Bonnie said.

Bonnie threw another punch before whipping her tail around in attempt to catch him off-guard. Gerald was able to block both strikes, although the whip did make him stagger to the side slightly.

"Excellent! That's exactly what I like to see."

"Thank you."

"You really are going for it, aren't you? Did I annoy you that much?"

"Oh no…" she smirked as she threw out a few more punches. "Whatever gave you that idea?"

Gerald chuckled as he blocked the punches. "Well, I suppose I should annoy you more often if it enables this kind of ferocity in combat."

"That would probably be inadvisable."

"Heh, probably."

The two monsters exchanged a few more blows before Gerald decided to call it time.

"OK, I think that should be enough for one night now."

"But I came so close then," Bonnie chuckled.

"Maybe next time," Gerald said, smiling. "Same time tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow? Isn't that a bit soon?"

"Well, if you think you can handle the extra physical activity then I don't see why not."

Bonnie nodded. "Tomorrow then."

"Great, I'll see you then."

With that the green-furred monster made to leave the room.

"Wait!" Bonnie called out.

Gerald turned back around, looking at her questioningly. "Yes?"

"I just wanted to ask, why are you helping me like this?"

"Another excellent question! You see, the higher-ups weren't the only ones who saw potential in you."

"You did too?" she asked with a raised brow, already knowing the answer.

"I did."

"So then why bother to train me?"

"Because I want to help fast-track you through your training. Perhaps for a more selfish reason than just helping you, but I think it will benefit us both in the end."

"That… didn't really answer the question."

"Let's just say I need another agent on my team, soon. And I'd like that monster to be you."

Bonnie folded her arms. "And what makes you think I would want to be on your team?"

"Well, technically, if I requested you, you couldn't really say no," he smirked. "But let's just say it's a way to guarantee you an assignment abroad."

"Abroad?" she repeated, looking much more interested.

Gerald's smirk only grew. "Ah, so I do have your attention. I'm glad. So what do you say? I help push you through training quicker, you join my team. Sound like a good deal?"

Bonnie paused to think it over for a moment, or at least made him think she was. It didn't take her long at all to realise it was a good proposition, but she didn't want to appear too eager.

"How fast do you think you could help me finish?"

"Two months, tops."

"And what else could you help me with, besides combat? If I need it, that is."

Gerald held his arms out, giving a small shrug. "Absolutely anything. If you need it."

Bonnie made her way over to him and held out a hand, which he quickly took and gave a firm shake.

"You have a deal," Bonnie said.

"Great. Then, same time tomorrow?"

"Same time tomorrow."

This time Gerald did leave and, after a moment to reflect on what had just happened, Bonnie also left, making her way back to her room.

It seemed her prayers had been answered. Although technically her free time would now be filled with more training, it _did_ eliminate the problem of boredom as well as enabling her to complete her training at the academy quicker. Overall, it seemed like an incredibly good idea.

Two months and she would be out in the field. Abroad, no less. Bonnie allowed herself to become quite excited with her new goal. It was certainly one worth striving for, and that was exactly what she was going to do.


	4. Chapter 3: Graduation

"Boodapesh."

Bonnie looked down at the files spread across the desk before her. It seemed a fairly simple mission; a surveillance job. The team to be assigned would be a group of six monsters who would then be paired off, two monsters each going to one of three Scream factories across the country. Their goal was to merely watch over the factories, making sure their practices were ethical and relatively safe, in liaison with the agents of Boodapesh's own version of the CDA.

"Seems simple enough," Bonnie commented passively.

"Ah, but there are a few things to bear in mind," Gerald replied. "The science and technology in Boodapesh is distinctly behind our own, which gives rise to two main problems. First, the escape of human children into our world and, by default, the number of dead doors and toxicity incidents are extremely high."

"Toxicity incidents?" Bonnie inquired.

"Yes. Which leads me to the second problem. The majority of monsters in the country still believe human children are toxic. So there are certain… protocols to follow, given the sensitive nature. To act in the country's best interests, we must also behave as though humans are toxic to our kind. It's mostly to pacify their government officials until their own scientists back up this country's own findings…"

Bonnie nodded in agreement and, after a moment, spoke up. "And..?"

Gerald gave her a questioning look. "What do you mean, 'and'?"

"Well, you didn't sound quite done with that thought," she pointed out.

"Ah, no, it wasn't that. It's just… never mind, it's not important."

"Also, you mentioned there were 'a few things to bear in mind', and you strike me as the type to have been more specific if there were only two things to consider," Bonnie continued, ignoring Gerald's remark. "So I'm sure there is at least one other point you should be explaining to me."

Gerald offered a smirk. "You're certainly very perceptive, but as I said, it's not-"

"Correct me if I'm wrong, Gerald," she butted in, "but I believe I should be making an _informed_ decision before agreeing to take on this mission."

"Well, as I said before, you would have no choice should I formally request you, but… You do have a point. But I'm not sure I can explain the full details to you now." Gerald leaned in a little closer, dropping his voice to a whisper. "It's not exactly common knowledge you see, far from it. Besides a few government officials and the armed forces of our countries, the only ones in the know are a small handful of CDA agents. And of them, I am the one with the least authority. Nobody else assigned to this task knows either, not yet. It's something that must be kept secret until the time is right."

This time it was Bonnie's turn to offer a questioning look of her own. "The armed forces?" she repeated in a tone that was evidently louder than Gerald would have liked, judging by the fact he immediately shushed her. "That doesn't sound as though it bodes well for anyone chosen for this task. Why the secrecy? It's clearly something important that we should all know."

"And you will, when the time is right," he reiterated.

Bonnie shook her head. "Not good enough. If the armed forces are involved then that suggests an element of danger. What if we're not prepared to deal with that?"

"It won't come to that. Nobody assigned to this task need be involved."

"I still think we have a right to be informed ahead of time."

"You will be, just-"

"The mission is in two weeks Gerald!" Bonnie snapped. "This goes against protocol! Every member assigned to any mission should be briefed _in full_ at least a month ahead-"

"Don't you think I know that?!" Gerald snapped back, rising from his seat at the desk, panting in anger. "Don't you think I want to tell you?! All of you?!"

A moment passed with neither monster speaking. Bonnie was caught off-guard by the other monster's anger whilst Gerald took the time to calm himself down. He sighed, looking down to the floor as he retook his seat.

"I'm… I'm sorry," he began. "I didn't mean to raise my voice. I'm just incredibly upset by this situation as well. They're asking me to take a team of agents on a mission without being fully briefed, which goes against every moral fibre in my body. Which is why I'm trying to assemble the best agents available to me."

Bonnie's frown turned into a small smirk. "The best, you say?"

Gerald looked up; smiling once sure Bonnie's own mood had improved. "Well, yes. I believe you have the potential to be one of the best. You'll certainly graduate the academy far ahead of your peers, and I have no doubt you'll already be better than many agents despite the lack of field experience."

"Well, that doesn't exactly let you off the hook, but I suppose if you really think I can handle it, then I could perhaps… accept it."

"You did want to go abroad," Gerald gently reminded her.

"Don't push it," she said, crossing her arms firmly.

Gerald chuckled. "Fair enough. Well, I'm glad you understand why I can't-"

"I didn't say I understand," Bonnie cut in. "I said that I accept it. There is a difference."

"Fine, then I'm glad you accept the fact that I can't divulge everything, and I'm glad you accept the mission." Gerald offered a warm smile. "All you need to do is pass your final exams on Friday. I have every confidence in you."

"Thank you, I appreciate it."

Gerald nodded. "Well, I'll leave you to it for now. Unless you want to spar to work some of that frustration out?"

"Tempting, but I think I'll give it a pass. Some last minute studying might be in order."

"Very well. I suppose I'll see you at the graduation ceremony."

"Ceremony?" Bonnie repeated, raising her brow.

"Yes, ceremony. It might only be you graduating, but a ceremony will still be in order."

Bonnie groaned. "Do I really need to go through that? I don't care much for the extra attention. Not to mention it will only make the other recruits hate me more."

"And you care what the other recruits think of you?" Gerald smirked. "Chances are you'll be of superior rank by the time they graduate."

"Fine," she sighed. "If a ceremony is really necessary, then I suppose I'll see you then."

"Great. We should have all details of our departure finalised by then."

"And will we find out exactly what this information is that you're hiding?"

Gerald looked thoughtful for a moment. "I'll see what I can do. No guarantees."

"Fine. Until Friday," Bonnie said before taking her leave and making her way back to her room.

She couldn't help but let her mind wonder. She tried to consider every possibility as to what the withheld information could be. Ultimately she decided to drop it, figuring that it probably wasn't as bad as it sounded and was just, in fact, something sensitive. Perhaps something to do with national security. She just hoped it wasn't something dangerous, as her instincts were telling her.

Bonnie pushed the thoughts aside, ready to read over her study books one last time over the coming days in preparation for her final exams. In just three days' time she would be a fully-fledged CDA agent if she could only pass them. And pass them she would as far as she was concerned. She wanted out of the academy as soon as possible. The company was unbearable and boredom had long since set in, even with the extra combat sessions. The thought of being out in the field was more appealing now than ever.

* * *

The exam hadn't been that hard. In fact, Bonnie would have said the three days' worth of studying she had done leading up to it was a waste of time if she didn't know better.

The graduation ceremony was short and simple. She didn't get very much applause or congratulations for it. There were a lot of angry and envious glares from the crowd of recruits gathered amongst disgruntled whispers and mutterings, as per usual. Bonnie had grown accustomed to overhearing rumours and accusations of favouritism floating around behind her back. She had to wonder if the recruits didn't know how paper-thin the walls were, or if they simply didn't care.

But she didn't pay any of it any mind. All she knew is she was finally free of the sheer triviality of it all.

Once the ceremony was over she met up with Gerald as well as a team of monsters she had never met before. As promised Gerald went over the final details of their departure but, irritatingly, he didn't divulge any further information. Bonnie wasn't the only one disturbed by this, it seemed. She noted a couple of the other monsters exchanging glances, frowning deeply.

Later that day Bonnie was given her uniform, one of the ghastly suits every agent was required to wear whilst on duty. It surprised her how well tailored it was, despite having been measured for it. After that she was free to do what she liked. Now that she had graduated and wasn't due to be put into active duty until the Monday after next, all that she was required to do was move herself out of the room she had been occupying. She called a taxi, packed up her stuff, and travelled back into downtown Monstropolis.

Upon entering her apartment she merely left her case in the hall, knowing everything already packed into it would be required once again. She would probably replace the books at some point, but all the other contents would remain the same.

Bonnie collapsed onto her couch, flicking on her television. She didn't pay it much attention, too engrossed in her own mind with all the information she had learned at the academy. She felt… different. It was almost alien living life as a civilian again despite not officially having stopped being one.

She quickly grew restless, not content in doing 'normal' things. She withdrew all the paperwork from her suitcase, spreading it over her coffee table. There was nothing new to be gained from reading over her initiation pack and she found the mission file to be of similarly little value.

Finally Bonnie thought to do the one thing she usually didn't like doing. She called her parents. At the very least she knew they would like to know she had graduated the academy.

She picked up the receiver and quickly dialled the number most permanently imprinted on her mind. Three rings sounded before a female voice was heard.

"Hello?"

"Hi mom, it's Bonnie."

"Oh, hello dear! How are you?"

"I'm doing fine mom."

"And how are things at the academy?"

"Well, actually, that's why I'm calling. I've graduated."

"Oh, that's wonderful news! And so quickly too. I'm sure you're pleased."

"I suppose so."

"I should imagine you'll be going out with your friends to celebrate tonight?"

Her friends. Why hadn't she thought of that?

"Uhh, yes mom, I will be as long as they can make it."

"You mean you haven't already invited them out? I'd get right on that if I were you dear," her mother said with a soft laugh.

"I will."

"I would invite your father to the phone but I'm afraid he's out at the moment. But don't worry, I'll be sure to tell him. He'll be pleased to hear the good news as well."

"You mean he's not still harping on about me not taking that job in business administration?" Bonnie asked dryly.

There was a short pause before Bonnie's mother responded.

"He'll be pleased, don't you worry dear. More importantly, how long will you be in town?"

Bonnie rolled her eyes. She knew exactly why she was being asked the question.

"About a week and a half. So don't worry, I'll come visit before I go."

"Oh good! I'm happy to hear that. And I'm sure your father will love it too. We both miss you, dear."

"I miss you too."

"Now, stop wasting time talking to me and get your friends on the phone! Have a good time tonight. I'll call tomorrow to see when you'd like to come visit. I won't call too early though, don't worry," she finished with another laugh.

"OK mom, I'll speak to you tomorrow."

"Goodbye, dear. I love you."

"I love you too. Bye."

Bonnie hung up the phone, staring at it for a short while.

'Do I really want to go out tonight?' she thought. She looked to the TV, and then scanned the room as though to find an alternative answer. Not finding one, she decided that she would like to go out. 'I don't think the girls would forgive me if I didn't,' she thought, chuckling a little to herself.

She began dialling the first number, setting about arranging a night out. A few short phone calls later the get-together had been arranged. Luckily everyone was free that night, so she would have a full turnout. Once she had arranged it, she felt happier in doing so. A little partying would probably help bring her back a little normality after such intense training. It certainly couldn't hurt.

Smiling to herself, Bonnie began getting ready for that night. She supposed she should enjoy everything Monstropolis had to offer whilst it lasted. There was no telling how different things would be in Boodapesh, after all.


End file.
